Forsaken Paths
by RoseWing-chan
Summary: "It's either you join them...or die." When the government outlaws Pokemon battling, a criminal organization rises up to change that. But their intentions aren't totally pure, and when they have their sights set on an illegal Pokemon trainer named Kira, she'll have to choose between joining them or death. Either way, she'll have to sacrifice everything.
1. Prologue

**I've been wanting to start this for a while, but never got around to it! Ahh, anyway, I hope you enjoy it, although it may be confusing because it's just a prologue.**

**Disclaimer: Do I even need this? Obviously, I don't own Pokemon. Only the characters, plot, and cities in this story are actually mine.**

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Water. It was the only thing I heard as I walked along a path next to a narrow river.

Trees lined the side of the trail to my left, and up ahead there was a small stone bridge connecting the path to my hometown, Cherryvine City. The stone thudded lightly under my feet as I crossed it.

My eevee skipped alongside me, pouncing on spring leaves as they swept under her paws.

Cherry blossom trees sprung from the ground along the city's entrance, granting it its name, but we walked past them though the city's border.

The first thing I saw were fountains shaped like Water Pokemon. They propelled streams of water into the air as small children tossed coins into the spring to make a wish. Eevee ran up ahead of me, jumping onto the stone rim to quench her thirst with the fountain water.

Around me, young kids sketched chalk images onto the sidewalk. Others boldly played a dangerous game of 'pretend'. There were four of them, around the ages of six or seven, hidden among a ring of cherry blossom trees. Curiously, I craned my neck to get a better view. Eevee's ears perked up in confusion. She was too young to fully understand their actions, much like the kids were themselves.

The group of kids assorted themselves into pairs of two. One in each pair was hunched on the ground, playing the role of a pokemon, with the other two posing as their trainers. Even without being a part of their seemingly harmless game, I could clearly tell what doing. They were feigning a pokemon battle, a pastime that should have been allowed.

But the problem now was that it wasn't. Sometime over the past centuries, battling had become deemed as inhumane. Anyone who partook in it was immediately shunned, until it was decided by the government that it be banned altogether. The people who battled for fun were outraged; those who were pokemon coordinators didn't care as much. There was a violent revolt between the people who used pokemon in combat and the ones who preferred to merely befriend them. Both sides had arguments against the other, both equally matched in their feud.

But in the end, trainers were overruled, with their power withdrawn. And battling had been illegal ever since. Though there were still a few brave enough to take part in it…

I didn't know the whole story about the war or the events that led up to it; my parents thought that I was too young to know. All I knew was that battling, or even _pretending_ to battle, could get you into a lot of trouble.

I knew the consequences of that better than anyone else did, and it wasn't a path I wanted to walk on again.

A girl who looked around six years of age started to speak, her words becoming ambiguous as they left her mouth.

"Eevee," I called, slowly creeping towards the ring of trees that enclosed the kids. She cocked her head, before soundlessly padding after me. I hid behind the trunk of a tree, poking my head around it to see them clearly.

"I challenge you!" a voice squeaked, before they all erupted into giggles.

"Fine, but you won't be able to beat me!" the smallest girl declared a little too loudly. My head jerked over my shoulder, my grey eyes scanning the Square for any signs that adults were listening in. Luckily, none were paying attention.

I withdrew a pokeball in fluid movements, my finger resting hesitantly on the button. These kids were too loud. I didn't know what the consequences were for children if they were caught pretending to battle, but it probably wouldn't be pleasant.

I pressed the middle button.

"Charmander, I choose you! Use—" The child's command was cut short by my own intentions.

"Espeon!" I warned urgently, and she understood. Almost instantly, a violent hiss resembling the crackling of a whip pierced the area. A tree branch snapped from the bark, falling dangerously in the middle of the children, separating the two groups of them.

Their faces lit up in terror, their shrieks of fright escalating in high pitches. My intention was not to scare them, but it worked: they stopped their game.

I sighed, relaxing against the tree. Running footsteps and astonished cries broke the silence that gripped us.

"What just happened?"

"Are you kids okay?"

Panicked voices from protective mothers pursued the scene. I peered around the tree trunk to see each pair of kids clinging to their moms.

"Time to go, guys." I withdrew Espeon, and Eevee and I darted away from the crowd that was now forming in the Square.

Tufts of light brown hair flew behind me as I ran. Eevee emitted a delighted call as the wind caressed her pelt.

"Eevee, where do you want to go now? We could go visit—"

My head ungratefully met the cold cement plastered to the ground. Pain cradled my bruised limbs, my head pounding unsteadily from the blow.

Eevee let out a worried cry. The earth spun beneath me, my vision distorted by the impact of…what? What had just happened?

Shouts of frightening levels of anger reached my dulled senses. That's when I noticed the boy who was crouched on the pavement. We must have run into each other.

Our eyes locked in a flurry of green and gray, as a burst of color made my head spin. My daze broke when he leapt to his feet, taking off into a sprint without casting another glance behind.

I stumbled to my knees, staring after him as he fled from the town. Two men raced past me to chase after the boy, who looked no more than fourteen.

"Wait!" I screamed after them. One barely turned his head enough to flash me a dirty look. Within seconds, they were gone altogether, leaving no trace of their pursuit besides kicked up leaves.

"Where do you think they're going?" I asked aloud, earning an inquisitive mew from Eevee. There was no more need for discussion. We both knew that I was planning on going after them.

I followed their path out of the city and across the bridge I had crossed earlier. Light imprints were embedded in the trail of gravel that led to the woods. I followed them to be soon immersed in the vast greenery of the forest. Eevee darted ahead of me, catching their scent.

I saw them vaguely in the distance through a break in the trees. Streaks of green whipped past me as my legs numbly pushed onwards. Eevee was panting beside me, but she didn't stop to rest.

The men were closer now, coming to a gradual halt. I slowed my movements too, straying behind them, but not close enough for them to be in my reach.

"Hey, kid. Looks like you have no other place to run to," one of them taunted, entering a circular meadow that was encompassed by trees and thick shrubs. Eevee hesitated at my side. This wasn't an area of the forest we were familiar with.

I ignored my instincts to flee and continued pursuing them anyway, scurrying closer to their turned backs. The boy with the emerald eyes remained impassive, reaching his hand into his pocket. He extracted a spherical, red ball, his face glinting in a different shade of light. There was a dark gleam to his eyes, a threatening sneer painting his lips.

"Try me," he growled, crouching in a defensive position.

"Fine. But don't go crying when you realize this won't be a fair fight." And as a man dressed in a blue shirt removed something hidden at his waist, I realized why he had said that.

He pulled out a gun, pointing it directly at the boy. Didn't he care that he was about to shoot at a kid? What could this boy have possibly done to them that they would kill him for?

A loud, strangled gasp echoed from my throat, my legs quivering as horrid memories overtook me. With a dim comprehension of the repercussions of my actions, I clenched my fists, waiting for their eyes to completely turn my way.

"Oh, look. A little girl's come to rescue you. How _cute_." The second one stepped towards me, his hands residing within the depths of his jeans pockets. I tried to muster as much ferocity as a frightened eleven-year old could, but by the amused look that oriented his grim face, it was clear that my attempts were wasted.

"What's the matter, sweetie? Are we scaring you?" He let out a quiet chuckle. He had sandy hair that fell in clumps around his forehead and an angular face.

"N-No…" My shaking limbs betrayed me. Eevee huddled behind my legs, pressing her forehead against my skin.

"Leave her alone. _I'm_ your target, remember?" In a flurry of red light, a majestic golden fox materialized beside the boy, his ninetales shimmering in a mesmerizing glow. It ruffled its pale fur nonchalantly, resting its hostile crimson orbs on their hunters. The boy and his loyal partner assumed a fighting stance, their bond woven as tightly as if they were one entity.

"Don't be stupid, Seth. Use that pokemon and the whole forest will go up in flames," the one with the gun reprimanded, shifting his index finger on the trigger.

Seth tensed his muscles, and his Fire pokemon's tails wavered in impatience, the orange tips quivering in the same agile movements as dancing embers.

White light blinded me momentarily, as an unexpected spark of light burned through the air. Espeon broke out of her pokeball, her slim muscles arched in a protective stance in front of me. Her forked tail skimmed my arm—a reassuring gesture.

"The little girl wants to play too? I don't know whether to laugh or pity her." He took out a knife, the silver edge gleaming with malicious intent.

Espeon let out a sharp hiss, violently knocking the breath out of him with an invisible psychic wave. He flew a few yards backward, his head cracking against the chipped bark of a tree. His black hair oozed with a sharp crimson, the wound on his head leaving him incapable of movement.

"Tyler!" the gunman yelled, swiveling his weapon so it was fixated on me. Tears clung to my eyes, and I was forced to bite my lip to keep silent. Was I really going to die here?

No! I wouldn't allow that! I wasn't ready to die! I didn't...want to...to...

"Espeon!" I emitted a futile screech. An earsplitting ring echoed throughout the meadow, one that I was all too familiar with.

I crumpled to my knees, my face buried beneath the palms of my hands. Bird pokemon flew into the air in a flurry of excitement. Blood was pooling on the grass in front of me, like an hourglass that you couldn't turn over to stop the flow of time.

Espeon's purple head rubbed against my face, her very presence bringing an indescribable amount of comfort. She was my partner, my closest friend. I trusted her with my life wholeheartedly.

"Hey…" Seth stumbled towards me, a knife glinting in his hand. He threw it to the side, as if the very touch of it had burned his skin.

"Are you okay?" My eyes were glued to the dead man in front of me. He had been killed _because_ of me. My stomach lurched in an uncomfortable knot, my head feeling very heavy all of the sudden.

"Yeah…" I rubbed my eyes, clearing my vision to gaze straight at his ninetales. Its deep red eyes burned a hole through mine.

_How Scary._

"Can you do me a favor?" He glanced around him cautiously. "Will you keep this whole thing a secret?" His breath was shallow, the bravery that he had reflected earlier shedding from his pale face.

I nodded my head. My eyes darted across every detail that had just happened—from my initial fall, to Espeon's attack, to the knife that Seth had stabbed the gunman with. The bullet that had missed my head had assailed straight into a tree trunk, leaving a deep gash in the broken chips of wood.

_That could have been me..._

Eevee bounded forward and meowed gratefully to Seth. He smiled, an angelic ray of light emanating from his face. His eyes sparkled in a hue of various shades of green; they themselves portrayed more beauty than I had ever seen.

"Seth…" I whispered quietly, in a nearly inaudible mixture of sound. "Thank you."

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**I apologize if this is really bad! But this is just the prologue.**


	2. Awakened

**I'd like to thank anyone who read this!**

**Disclaimer: Same as last chapter. Too lazy to re-write it.**

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"Flareon, use Fire Blast!" I commanded, my voice echoing throughout the gym.

The _secret_ gym.

Flareon jumped into the air, her lithe reddish-orange frame spinning in mid-jump, just like the swirls of fire she was breathing out of her mouth. The flames careened towards their opponent with a menacing hiss, slithering around its victim in a flurry of embers. The unsuspecting empoleon was surrounded by flame. The fire soon dispersed, leaving an unconscious Water Pokemon covered in minor burns and scratches lying in the middle of the floor.

"Erm…maybe I overdid it a little…" I scratched my head sheepishly, while a red beam surrounded the fainted pokemon from further harm.

"No, that was excellent. I'm very impressed. You've improved since last time we battled, though you won that time, as well..." One of my father's good friends, Max, praised in a manner that could be taken as half-hearted, seeing how his empoleon, a steel and _water_ type, had been beaten by a tiny Flareon.

Despite his kind words, his expression didn't read as, "I'm thrilled".

Flareon bounded toward me, nuzzling my leg, and I knelt down to pet her.

"Kira…" He lowered his voice. "You know, your father would be proud…"

I cringed, flinching from the reminder. Usually, people strayed clear of the topic, but sometimes mention of him slipped out. I wish I had a lock to keep that from happening.

"Right…my father…" I murmured, patting the ember-shaped crest on Flareon's forehead less enthusiastically.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He cast his eyes towards the gym floor, resting them on no place in particular.

"Kira." A new voice reached my ears. Another one of my father's friends entered the room, followed by a boy I had never seen before, who looked around my age.

"Oh, Mr. Near! Hello!" I gave a startled laugh, standing up and peering around him to glance at the guy that had followed him in. He was quite handsome, with navy blue hair, and sapphire eyes. When the two of them were standing directly across from me, he gave me a flirtatious wink.

I managed to give a slight smile, heat rising in my cheeks.

"Kira," Mr. Near repeated. "This is my son, Ethan."

Ethan flashed me a warm smile, but I thought I saw something else in his eyes as well.

"I've heard a lot about you, Kira."

"Oh, yeah?" I inquired nonchalantly. Espeon, who had been watching me from a distance, brushed against my leg, her bright purple eyes gazing up at him in suspicion.

"I actually wanted to…...battle you." His last words were hesitant, and I was half-expecting him to say something else. Espeon's ears twitched, and I grinned at her.

"Be my guest."

The two of us lined up on either side of the gym, as was customary to do when Gym battling was popular. And, well, _legal_.

Max and Ethan's father remained idly on a bench.

The faded insignia of a pokeball was etched into the middle of the floor, outlined in a ring of white. The boundaries of the battlefield formed a large rectangle drawn in white ink, which took up most of the scarce room that the gym occupied. Since the room was small and barely any people ever visited this place, there was only one long bench for spectators to sit at.

"Espeon, would you care to do the honors?" I called out to her, and without any more insistence from me, she effortlessly leaped onto the field, keeping a calm demeanor as she did so.

Ethan stared at me skeptically, like he was studying for a really difficult test question that he didn't know the answer to. He finally released a black dog-like pokemon that had markings etched across its face. It was a mightyena.

I bit my lip, concentrating. Espeon would be at a major disadvantage here. And I didn't like losing. But the likelihood of that happening was close to zero. Not against a _rookie_, anyways.

"Wait! Before we start, how about you and I make a little bet?" _Oh, god._

"Do I even _want_ to know what you have in mind?" I joked, folding my arms across my chest. He grinned broadly.

"If I win, I'm taking you out on a date." Espeon's tail whipped from side to side, her stance shifting into a more defensive position. Despite the situation, I couldn't help but laugh. Ethan wore a look of pure puzzlement on his facial features.

"Sorry, but…that's not going to happen." My eyebrows furrowed in determination, already playing out every possible scenario in my mind, organizing a strategy that would ensure my success.

"You can have the first move." That was customary as well, or so I assumed. Gyms had been closed for far longer than I had been alive, so I had never actually played by the official rules. Just the ones my Dad had enforced…

"My, aren't you a little arrogant?" An accusatory statement dripped down the walls, the voice of the unexpected visitor creeping steadily towards me. My teeth pierced into my lip from astonishment, the acrid metallic taste of blood beginning to soak onto my tongue.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, scanning the room in search of any illusions tricking my eyes. But as a loud hiss resonated from Espeon's throat, I realized there wasn't one.

Silence incarcerated the room. The only audible sounds were the light footsteps making their way towards me.

I didn't ever expect to see that face again—the one that had suddenly sprung in front of me. But here he was. _Seth._

He didn't look much different than he did last time I'd seen him. He was taller, more mature-looking.

"Well, if it isn't the little Eevee Girl." His jade eyes poured into mine, surrounding me with distant memories of five years earlier. It had been a different time then—I had been a different person then.

My father had died a few weeks prior to the incident with Seth, leaving me trapped in a trance of despair and confusion. The child inside of me had soon vanished, dispersed within the crimson rain that had washed away his life. So, over the years, any carefree innocence left inside of me had faded into a passionate ambition to continue his legend.

And the me that remained was more reckless, bound by the legacy of a shattered dream, intent on making her father's dreams of rebuilding the broken society of pokemon into a reality.

"_Kira,_" I corrected, a dose of hostility locked in my speech. How did he find his way in here? The gym was carved into a small cliff, hidden behind a waterfall far within the forest of Cherryvine. Behind the waterfall was a deep indentation in the stone, leading to the impenetrable gym door that you needed a special key to access. In addition to this, the door was completely invisible to the naked eye, only revealing itself to those who knew the secret of how to find it.

"So you _do_ have a real name." He looked around, only to lock eyes with a glaring Ethan, who I had already forgotten was waiting for me.

"Who's he, Kira? A boyfriend?" Ethan cocked an eyebrow, the sneer on his face affirming his disapproval.

"Oh, were you jealous? With you staring at me like that, I was under the impression that we had a little bro-mance going on." Seth chuckled sarcastically, causing Ethan to roll his eyes.

Espeon mirrored my own impatience with the constant flicker of her tail. Either she was anxious or irritated; I couldn't really tell the difference at this point.

"Seth, how did you get in here?"

"I followed you…" He admitted rather reluctantly, running a hand through his caramel hair and averting his eyes.

"How? _Why_?" I shuffled my feet nervously. If an outsider ever found out about this place, I'd be in more danger than I would even want to imagine. I'd be slaughtered…my pokemon killed as well…The whole city would reject my family…I'd be -

"I saw you earlier this morning and...I dunno. Maybe I missed you?" He offered his excuse with a broken smile, and I knew instantly that he was lying.

There was something he wasn't telling me, about why he really came back. If even mentioning that incident from five years ago was dangerous, then surely he wouldn't have wanted to risk returning?_  
_

My breathing evened slightly, but not enough for it to be stabilized completely. If someone had been following him, as they were last time, I might as well hang myself now.

"How. Did. You. Get. In. Here." My words were woven together in an inseparable knot, slithering out through clenched teeth. His eyes shifted to the door, a tinge of understanding rooted there.

"_What's the matter, Sweetie?"_ I shut my eyes so tightly they ached, trying to lock the moisture in that was threatening to overflow. The earth seemed to sway beneath me in undulating patterns similar to the rocking of a boat.

"_Are we scaring you?" _Raspy waves of sound battered my ears, a sickening siren's song that I couldn't erase from my mind. I still remembered everything clearly: those memories that I have never shared. They lie dormant in an inconsistent sleep, awakening at random moments just for the sake of causing me pain.

A hand rested lightly on my arm, pulling me inward so I could feel his lips grazing my ear.

"Kira…this won't be like last time. I promise." He released his hold on me, leaving a cold, empty sensation where warmth used to radiate. So, he hadn't been followed after all. Maybe.

Several coughs climbed up the air, until I noticed that Ethan was still waiting for me. He eyed the two of us suspiciously, before clearing his throat again.

"So, how 'bout that battle?"

I nodded absentmindedly, following Seth's movements across the gym floor. Espeon nudged my leg in annoyance, trying to grab my attention away from him.

"Right. Your move," I reminded him, waiting for his subtle nod. The glossy, black mane of the dog-like pokemon shimmered in the lights, eliciting a majestic appeal. It extended its claws, sizing up Espeon within seconds, probably foolishly assuming that its victory was guaranteed. The Mightyena was easily twice her size, but by the cocky way it carried itself, I could tell that Espeon's skill far outmatched his.

"Mightyena, use Bite!" His Dark-type was ready to spring when my hollow laugh took it by surprise. Ethan hesitated, clouded in a mask of confusion.

"What's so funny, Kira?" He looked dejected, and I almost felt guilty.

"Oh, nothing really. Its just…Do you really expect your actions to come as a surprise, when you're blatantly announcing them?"

I caught a smile tugging at Seth's face, while Ethan's was tinged with scarlet. He gritted his teeth in embarrassment, his pokemon hunched over in puzzlement of his next move.

"Isn't that how a pokemon battle works, O Wise One?" His tone cooled, quickly transforming into a mocking sneer. He was _quite_ the charmer.

"I suppose." I tucked a strand of brown hair behind my ear. "But if the bond you share with your pokemon was actually _strong_, words would not be necessary. Your pokemon and you, you shouldn't need speech to convey what the other is feeling. Wouldn't you agree, oh, Smart-ass One?"

If there was a reward for completely turning a guy off, I probably would have just won it. So much for our date.

Ha! Like _that_ was actually going to happen.

He was fuming now, and I was enjoying every second of it. It's not like I was a mean person or anything, I just didn't like dealing with arrogant rookies who thought they knew everything. Then again, some would agree that I was very arrogant, myself. But only _some_.

"Fine, then, _Princess_, I'll play by your rules." His hands clenched at his sides, anger dripping from his white knuckles. Espeon waited patiently in front of me, looking extremely bored. She was most likely thinking something along the lines of, "Why am I demeaning myself in fighting this loser?"

As promised, Mightyena launched itself at my little purple feline, grazing her fur as she swiftly leaped out of the way.

"Espeon, you know what to do," I reminded her, and she gave a curt nod. Our thoughts always seemed to be linked; maybe it was because she was a Psychic-type that she always seemed to know what I was thinking.

A swirling mass of dark energy concentrated on one of the dog's legs, Espeon's Shadow Ball slamming into it with great force. As a Ghost-type move, it wouldn't do much damage, but my intentions were not centered on fainting it with that attack.

The dog retaliated with a quick swipe of its claws, which barely raked her body. With sublime grace and speed, Espeon bounced off of the floor and rammed into him as hard as she could. Though Mightyena was larger, Espeon was more powerful, her strength undeterred by her slender frame. Ethan's mightyena exerted its strength, trying to push itself off of the floor, but its paws uselessly scrabbled against the ground, for its injured leg wouldn't respond. It remained useless, just as I had planned. In that brief time, she launched a rippling Hyper Beam at it, crushing it within the spiraling mass of light that had spewed from her mouth.

It didn't take long before Ethan realized that his precious pokemon lay unconscious on the Gym floor, before he was overcome with disappointment, returning Mightyena to its pokeball. In a few strides, I was at Espeon's side, pulling her into a hug. She grinned with her eyes, pride shining in them.

"Flare! Flare!" A fluffy mass of fur tackled into us, Flareon's head burrowing into her mother's side.

"Kira." Ethan didn't dare look at me directly, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "You're really good at battling…" He admitted with a hardly opened mouth. I must have really pissed him off.

"So, how 'bout that date?" Seth's mocking voice lashed out at Ethan in a subtle manner that only he was skilled enough to pull off.

"Okay, now you're just being mean," I scolded him with a playful smile, his gaze capturing mine.

"I don't really care about that anymore." If this was a cartoon, I would have had steam streaming out of my head. So, now I wasn't good enough to date? That little—

"Besides, I wouldn't want to come in between you and your _boyfriend_." Ethan added with a sneer.

"He's _not_ my boyfriend!" I yelled too harshly, my voice exploding against the air.

"I _could_ be." Seth winked at me suggestively. Unfortunately for him, he was thrown roughly against the nearest wall. Espeon planted a firm stare on him, the red gem on her forehead glinting more brightly than usual.

"What the hell? Ow!" He gingerly rubbed the back of his head, his playful expression dissipating into resentment.

"It was a freakin' joke! Damn…that Espeon of yours is kind of a…" He trailed off, brushing himself off his jeans. The mentioned feline spat at him as he drew nearer, but he boldly ignored her.

"She's just protective…" I defended quietly, glancing down at her from where she sat at my feet, crouching in front of me.

She'd been that way ever since my father..died. I was eleven at the time and didn't really know what to do with myself. But Espeon stepped in, always watching out for me, always remaining faithfully by my side, even when my constant wailing probably sounded like the screeches of a Whismur to her sensitive ears. In my dad's absence, I had allowed myself to become sensitive and vulnerable, but her incessant presence compensated for that. She made me a stronger person, and in turn, our bonds had constricted as well. When she wasn't around, I felt empty, like half of my life-force had been depleted and barely any of it remained.

"Yeah, yeah. Listen, I wanted to—" Seth was cut off.

"Hey, Kira! I think Ethan and I are going to head back into town. Be careful when you leave here!" Mr. Near waved a pitiful good-bye, striding stiffly out of the room.

What was up with him?

"Don't mind him. He was just naively hoping that his son would beat you. Obviously, he doesn't see you battle enough. You never lose." Max let out a hearty laugh, his shaggy black hair falling onto his forehead as he left as well.

"_Never_? That's an exaggeration, right?" Seth gaped at me in disbelief, the corners of his mouth puckering in an unconvinced frown.

"No, what he said was true. I've never lost since...My pokemon just work really hard, and it's not like I've been in tons of battles anyway..."

"Then can I do the honors of breaking your winning streak?" The grin on his face surprised me. When he smiled, he seemed to eradicate any darkness lurking in the room, even putting the sun to shame.

My lips curved delicately upward, as I teasingly shoved him away.

"Sorry, I'm already exhausted."

"Yeah, cause' kicking someone's ass sure is exhausting," He mused, as we casually walked around the room.

"I guess you wouldn't understand."

"Maybe, I will…How about tomorrow?" Seth insisted, his irises dancing in a green sea of eagerness.

"Ugh...Fine, I guess I don't have much of a choice.?"

"Cool. Then it's a date." Not _this_ again.

I groaned, ushering an amused laugh out of him.

"See you tomorrow…Eevee Girl."

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**I enjoyed writing this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed reading it as well! As always, reviewing would be greatly appreciated! **

**Oh, and when Kira said she never loses, she didn't mean she has NEVER lost. She just doesn't often enough to make it totally untrue.**


	3. Twenty Questions

**Hey, I don't have much to say, so...enjoy! **

**Shadow strabistar-22: Your review made me laugh! I would totally date Seth. ;)**

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_Wind danced fluently through the air, weaving through tree branches and waving around flags of leaves. They gathered around drums, beating on the dull silver of wind chimes, and plucking soft, musical notes from the metal instruments strung delicately on a tree limb. The gentle, tinkling of the chimes lingered in the air, granting the land a musical ring._

_The music finally ceased, surrendering to a much darker marching beat. Vehement footfalls hammered the ground in its place. They struck the earth with malicious intent, mallets of power being their only instruments. _

_I watched these strange men with fearful curiosity. They were wearing dark uniforms that held gold badges. Why would they pin a majestic color to such wicked-looking garb? Gold on black was the color combination used when wanting people to mistake a dictator for a monarch; it served no greater purpose than to mislead people into thinking that the men were on the people's side._

_I watched as a woman followed them, her footsteps lighter than air. She was screaming at them, begging them to turn back around. The woman tried pleading with them to spare her husband because they had a little daughter at home. But the men gave her no more than firm stares, their sense of morality only limited to those who upheld the law, those who obeyed without question. _

_But was their actually anyone like that? Those, who, without a doubt, would comply with every order that was given? Not even a pokemon would do that._

_She, struck with sheer urgency, clung to one of the men's arms. Again, she tried in vain to keep them from proceeding. With a slow, seemingly perpetual motion, a man brought his fist down against her. She knelt pitifully on the ground, her left cheek scarlet from the mark his hand had dealt._

_They had hit my mother. They had _hit _her….If they did that to her for just trying to obstruct their path, what would they do to my father, whose crimes were far worse?_

_What would they do to him, he who had created a pokemon gym for the very reason of defying the law? What could they possibly do?_

_A knot adjusted itself within my stomach. I felt sick, I felt like dying. Repulsion bubbled from within me, twisting my body into painful contortions._

"_Kira." She had seen me. I didn't care._

_I stepped out from behind the tree that carried wind chimes, my gaze tracing the men who had receded from the city. Did they find the gym? It was a possibility..._

"_Go inside, Kira. Go inside!" she yelled, her voice rising from the pain that constricted her throat. I had no intention of going inside._

_She curled into a ball, giving up, as her bruise continued to bloom across her cheek. Why didn't she chase after them more? Why was she so afraid?_

_My legs stiffened, but a reassuring nudge from Espeon awakened my senses once again._

_The police were further ahead by now, but I could still see their silhouettes as they paraded out of the entrance gate. Espeon and I ran to catch up with them, our strides uniform in length._

_As the familiar outlines of the forest came into view, my anxiety augmented. The men stepped through the first line of trees, keeping on a straight path. But the path to the gym was more complicated than that; there were several twists and turns, trails that were hard to find._

_Where were we going instead? This haze of confusion didn't dissipate. Surprisingly, none of them turned around to find me._

_Espeon and I continued stalking them, treading with light footsteps over crunchy grass. The canopy of trees formed umbrellas above our heads, blocking out the shower of light trying to sprinkle down on us._

_The men halted abruptly when we reached a large empty area, secluded by a barrier of trees on one side. There was a creek parallel to the trees, and a log helped to construct the broken square that the enclosure formed. _

_Fallen leaves littered the ground everywhere, like a sea of confetti that would fall on festive occasions. But today was no day to rejoice._

_My father knelt in the middle of the enclosure, his hands bound behind him. Two guards stood on either side of him, facing the other soldiers with resolute statures._

"_This is him?" A man stepped forward with a potent air of authority, the tips of his clothing ornamented in navy stripes._

"_Yes, this is the man. Mr. Andrew Rowe." _

_Espeon quivered at the mention of my father's name, my own muscles stiffening as well. Water from the creek trickled as time went by, yet not even a pokemon dared to make an appearance._

_My father looked up suddenly, immediately meeting my stare. His lips hardened into a frown, but crawled into a reassuring smile when seeing the look of discomfort masking my face._

"_And, if you will, please remind me of the charges to this man."_

"_Andrew Rowe, age thirty-two: convicted of hosting illegal organizations involved in the training of pokemon for physical combat," he recited from a wrinkled sheet of paper._

"_Mr. Rowe, can you verify these charges?"_

_My father's mouth twitched, his tongue moistening his lips before he responded._

"…_Yes. It's true."_

"_So, you cannot deny that you opened an underground training area solely for the purpose of training pokemon to be used in warfare?"_

"_Warfare? No, I never intended on using them in—"_

"_Do you or do you not admit to building an underground training facility?"_

_Underground training facility? I didn't even know there was such a thing! Could that mean… they didn't know about the gym?_

"_Well, yes, I built it for raising pokemon to become stronger, but never in war—"_

"_Then, Mr. Rowe, I think we can all agree that we have heard enough. Since we have sufficient evidence to convict you, this little discussion is over."_

_My father's mouth hung open, and a terrified squeak emanated from it. But as the men's heads turned to me, I realized with horror that he had not been the one to scream._

_Faithful as ever, Espeon sprung in front of me, her tail curving protectively around my legs._

"_Who is this girl?" the commander shouted. "Why did you bring her here?" _

_His soldiers murmured to one another, ambiguous noises that might as well have been the ramblings of a Wobbuffet for all the significance they held._

"_We didn't, Sir. She must have followed us."_

"_Well, get her out of here! I don't care what means you use; I want her gone!" In blind acquiescence, a young, blonde man reached for me, only to be bitten by Espeon. He cried out in pain, blood oozing from the fang marks on his hand._

"_No! Please, don't hurt her! That's my daughter!" my father shouted, and the men stopped._

"_Very well. Her punishment will be to watch you die," the commander stated evenly, flicking dirt from his shirt._

"_What?! Dad!" My hoarse cry stumbled into undulating sobs. My chest shook from the crude reality of the situation._

_I hated them. I hated these men who were going to end my father's life…I wanted them to die__—_those monsters!

_My hands formed solid fists at my side, but there was nothing I could do but watch in idle horror as the commander removed a gun from his holster. _

"_No! Stop!" I surged forward, ready to defend my Dad, when rough hands restrained me from reaching him. An officer held me in his grip, wholly emotionless, while liquid droplets of something greater than sorrow ripped through me._

"_Espeon!" I gave a pitiful plea, my screams reaching deaf ears. She blasted my capturer with an attack I could not see, leaving him writhing on the ground. I stumbled forward, pressing her to my chest to shield her from the ravenous gun that was now being trained on her._

"_Kira! Kira….it's okay, sweetie. Everything's going to be okay…." He soothed, but there were tears in his eyes. I had never seen him cry before._

"_Be strong…and take care of your mother for me. Espeon, I'm entrusting Kira to you." A sad smile tugged at his lips, his dejected eyes surrendering to the darkness around him. The silver that had once held such a lustrous shine had been degraded into an unanimated grey._

_Espeon's ears drooped, and she struggled to wiggle out of my grasp, but if she managed to, she'd be killed too. I held onto her more tightly. _

"_Please!" The same tone my mother had used crept into my voice. "Don't do this!"_

_As if recognizing my plea, the gun adjusted itself to his head with a taunting click as it was getting ready to strike._

"_No!"_

_A bullet went off, and complete silence began its perpetual reign over the forest. No confetti sprung from a canon__—_no, not when the creek was beginning to bleed a river of dark vermillion. 

_I didn't dare look at him for fear of what I would see. I didn't need to witness the shell's path to know for certain that it left a gaping hole in his skull. I didn't need to see his face to know that it was drowning in a pool of his own blood. The truth was, I didn't need to see any of that. _

_And I certainly didn't want to._

* * *

The beating of wings churned around me, like pages flipping in a book. The air cradled an echoing scream, the sound waves bouncing off of wind chimes, making them sing a mourning song.

A nose nudged my face, Espeon's tongue offering a small lick of comfort.

"Kira!"

With half-closed eyes, I felt someone grip my arm, my skin melting under his warm touch.

"Oh! Seth?" I rubbed my face, trying to wake myself up. He stared at me for a while, his eyebrows drawn up in what looked like concern. Seth's lips parted in puzzlement and his gaze scanned over every aspect of my face.

"Uh…Are you alright?"

I sat more upright against the tree I had fallen asleep under. The same tree that my mother had been slapped in front of.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I blinked a few times, unaware of the reason for his perplexed appearance. His fingers gently glided across my cheek, wiping away a drop of moisture that had gathered there.

I brushed his hand away, hastily clearing away remnants of my weakness. He didn't change his composure when he sat down beside me, our backs against the tree trunk.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Our eyes didn't meet, though mine were searching for his.

Espeon's face popped in directly in front of me, and I gave a quiet shriek. She then laid down in between Seth and I, obviously making sure he didn't get too comfortable.

"No. I'd rather talk about you." He glared at my subtle suggestion.

"I don't like that topic."

"And why not?" I pressed, my pitch escalating. What was it that he didn't want me to know?

"Because it's none of your business!" he snapped, startling me. Espeon hissed at his uneven tone and the anger unraveling in his voice.

I looked downwards, feeling like he just punched me. I wiped away more water that had somehow gotten into my eyes, drying my hands on my black leggings.

We didn't say anything for a while, an uncomfortable silence settling between us.

"Kira… I wanted to tell you the real reason why I came back here." He turned his head to look at me. His mien was so grave that I didn't even think I wanted to know what he was planning on saying next.

"I couldn't say it before, not with the others around." He drew in a breath, switching his view to Espeon, who was raising her head in interest.

"Kira…" A cloud of lament hovered over his eyes, this anticipation starting to burn a hole through my brain. "There's these people_—A_n organization_—Y_ou're being watched." He stumbled through the words, like a river whose flow was obstructed by stones.

If I had been drinking water, it would have been sprayed everywhere.

My heart literally stopped just then, fear constricting it as tightly as a wild Arbok would squeeze a helpless Rattata before making it a meal.

I was being watched? What the hell did _that _mean? By who? Why? When? The _government? _This wasn't good.

No, no, no_. _This couldn't be happening! I couldn't—I wouldn't end up like...

No, no—Oh, god…Dammit! I didn't want to die! Not like this...

On impulse, I jumped to my feet, my mind racing with a million different thoughts. I was about to start running, when he grabbed me and forced me back into a sitting position, his hand covering my mouth. I struggled within his grasp, but he was much stronger than I was.

"Kira, wait! Let me rephrase that! It's not by who you think it is!" His attempts to soothe me were to no avail. Though I did pause to examine his words.

I was actually surprised by Espeon's lack of response. She was just sitting there on the ground, watching me being held captive, while licking her paws nonchalantly.

"Espeon, you traitor!" I pouted, prying Seth's hands from around my mouth.

"No, she still hates me. She's just not as impulsive as you are."

I sighed, grumbling in angst.

"Okay, then you better explain yourself before I _kill_ you!" I warned, trying to look as fierce as possible. He raised an amused eyebrow.

"If that didn't work back then, what makes you think it will work now? You're too cute to be scary." He teased, a cheeky grin smoothing his lips.

I frowned more, if that were even possible.

"Am _not_! Espeon, attack—" She started to stretch lazily.

"Okay, okay, fine! You're _very_ scary. Happy now?" He rambled, holding his hands up as a sign of defense.

"No! Tell me what I want to freakin' know!"

"Geez, women are _so_ demanding…" _Kill me now_.

"Seth~" I whined. He chuckled, helping me to my feet. I guess I had missed the humor in this situation. Was _everything_ a joke to him?

"We should go somewhere quieter." He glanced around the streets, eyeing random passerby warily. "Any ideas?"

I shrugged. Hiding out in the forest would not be good for my emotional well-being. I don't know what I would do if I came across _that_ place again…

"Espe?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Oh, good idea." I took out a pokeball from the bag that hung diagonally across my chest. Seth looked confused.

"Pidgeot!" I called, and in a flash of light, my Flying-type appeared, stretching its tawny wings out. "Uh…I don't know if he can carry the both of us."

"No worries." Seth retracted a pokeball of his own, and I stared in awe, wondering what kind of pokemon he had. A large, emerald dragon materialized before us, its crimson wings scraping an arc through the air. It had a silver underbelly, and sharp claws that protruded from its feet.

"Where do you want to go?" He shrugged, hopping onto the back of his salamence, who took off immediately. I climbed onto Pidgeot's back, the yellow and red crest on its forehead tickling my face.

Pidgeot surged upward, ascending through the air swiftly and eagerly, chirping as he did so. He flew at the same level as Seth's salamence, the gliding parallel to each other. Espeon pressed herself tightly against me, her head buried in the fabric of my dark, emerald shirt. I smiled, remembering how she hated flying.

"Tell me now!" I cried out in impatience.

"Not yet. We're not safe here."

"Really? That's the best you can come up with? We're hundreds of feet up in the air! Who is there to hear us?"

He jabbed his finger through the air, pointing at a flock of starly.

"See them? We're in foreign territory. Those are _enemy_ birds." He whispered dramatically, with a half-crazed look in his eye.

"You've got to be kidding me..." I grumbled. His face burst into a smile. Irritating me must be a new past-time for him.

"So…tell me about yourself," Seth called to me, guiding his salamence closer, so that we were side by side. I didn't really feel like talking; I just wanted to know what he meant by the whole "You're being watched" thing, because that statement tends to creep people out. I spoke up anyway,

"Um…I'm a girl."

"No freaking duh." We both laughed.

"Okay…I'm sixteen years old. How old are you?" I added absently.

"Nineteen. What was your first pokemon?"

"Espeon, if you couldn't already guess." The purple feline gave a sleepy yawn.

"Mine was Ninetales." I didn't forget he had one, but I was hoping that he didn't bring it out, because it was kind of intimidating. And it's eyes scared me.

"Where are you from?" I questioned, but he didn't answer. "Uh…okay then. What's your favorite color?"

"Blue. Yours?" That should have been obvious. His shirt was a deep navy.

"Silver."

"Like your eyes?"

I nodded. They were also my father's eyes.

"Do you have any family?" Seth ignored me once again. "Oh, c'mon! These questions aren't optional!"

"_No_." There was a feral growl in his voice, and his green orbs flashed in a much darker shade. His anger was apparent, and I had a feeling that he had been lying. Out of modesty, I didn't press him further.

I searched my brain for any questions that wouldn't upset him.

"Erm...Have you ever kissed anyone?" A blush crept up on my face, and suddenly, I really wanted the answer to be a 'no'.

"Why does that interest you?" He raised an accusatory eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Just a question."

"Okay...then, no, I have not." The fangirl inside of me squealed for unknown reasons. My much cooler self didn't react.

"Have _you?"_ His voice didn't offer any signs of interest.

"Nope. Boys have cooties."

"Espe." Espeon mewed in agreement.

I glanced below us, at the strands of greenery patching the ground. I didn't know where we were headed, but as long as I was with Seth, I didn't really care. I had never really had any friends before, because apparently that's what happens when your father is convicted of a serious crime, so being with him made me really happy. I wasn't sure if he felt the same way; he wasn't very open about anything.

"Hey, Seth?" I steered Pidgeot further ahead, so that I was looking back at him.

"Yeah?"

"Are we friends?" I questioned hesitantly, audacity creeping into my now shy voice. Espeon looked unhappy at the inquiry.

"Do you want to be?"

"Well, do _you_?" I countered, not wanting all of the pressure to be put on me. Pidgeot glanced up at me, his eyes flashing in amusement.

"…Yes," He said after what felt like hours.

"Okay…" I let out a sigh of relief, although that conversation was painfully awkward. The wind whipped against my face, sending my chocolate hair flying in the wind. I caught Seth's eye, and his face brightened into a grin.

"Hey, Kira," His tone took on a playful facade. "If I had to run into anyone while being chased by a crime syndicate, I'm glad it was you."

"What?!" I coughed, gasping for air. I noticed how he seemed fairly pleased at my reaction.

Crime syndicate? He had a _lot_ of explaining to do.

* * *

**Sorry if I cut it off at an awkward point, but I felt like I had been rambling the last couple paragraphs. Oh, and I didn't make up that enemy bird joke. I got the idea from Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

**P.S I know it might be weird that Kira and Seth seem really comfortable around each other even though they've only met a few times, but they kind of just had a 'fast friendship' sort of thing. And Seth's not the shy type, if you haven't already noticed.**


	4. Revelations

**Thanks to Shadow Strabistar-22, MistOwl, and Corinne444 for reviewing! You guys are awesome! **

**Note: I've edited this since the first time I uploaded it. So if you've read it before and realized some parts are different, that's why.****  
**

** Disclaimer: Still. So. Lazy. Refer to chapter 1**

* * *

What was his problem? He just took creepy to a whole new level. Some people are stalking me _and_ he's involved in some criminal organization?

Anger surged through my veins, and with me still unable to ever think rationally, I pushed off of Pidgeot's back, launching myself at him.

"The hell!" Seth let out a startled gasp as I lunged at him, my fingernails digging into his shirt. His Dragon-type gave an agitated roar, swerving slightly off course, but knew better than to try to shake me off.

"What's the matter with you? Don't say stupid things! It's not funny!"

"Who said it was supposed to be funny?" He shifted forward so that I was no longer sliding off of Salamence's back.

"Do you _like_ annoying me?" The wind muffled my voice, rushing past us as we flew aimlessly across the sky. Seth stared straight ahead, pretending to not have heard me.

"Sorry, what was that? Salamence, dive lower!"

My stomach dropped uncomfortably as we descended harshly, and I was forced to cling helplessly to Seth's shirt, while Pidgeot mimicked the dragon's abrupt movements.

From the air, I could see trees below us, and random houses dotted the jade landscape. A town sprung up suddenly, like the spontaneous blossoming of a flower in spring.

"You did that on purpose!" The wind scathed my tongue as I forced the words out.

"It's fun to make you mad." He swiveled his head abruptly, our faces now inches from each other. _He better not lean forward._

"Shut up! You...jerk! You're so annoying!" I carried on, earning several eye rolls from him. "You have the nerve to come find me after five years of nothing, and then you keep on saying weird things with no explanation at all?"_  
_

"I thought you just said we were friends? Now you're calling me a jerk?"

"I take it back! We're not friends! You're..._impossible!"_

"Geez, _someone_ has mood swings..." He swung his head back around in fake annoyance and we began flying lower at a more agreeable pace.

I bit back the curse words I was willing to spit at him, focusing on sky as it danced onwards in a consistent rhythm of blue, caressing my face.

Espeon may not have liked flying, but I certainly did. Flying meant freedom, away from suspicious ears and disdainful rules. We could go anywhere we wanted, unregulated and alone. I liked that.

That is, I liked it _before_ I found myself unexpectedly face-planting into the ground. Grass scratched my skin like pesky thorns from a rose. My face throbbed in wavering patterns of pain, as I felt myself being shifted from the ground. Seth was kneeling beside me, and I pushed his hands away.

"Ow," I grimaced, rubbing my forehead unhappily. He withdrew his Salamence, and I did the same with Pidgeot.

"Sorry, I should have warned you we were landing. Want some ice-cream?" A half-smile flickered in my direction, before his eyes scanned the area in flitting motions, like yanma darting swiftly through the air.

I followed his gaze to the entrance of a city with a sign marked "Solrim City". Along the side of the main road was a bright ice-cream truck smudged with hues of blue, pink, and white.

"No." My voice wavered hesitantly. He was purposefully avoiding me. Why? Who knows. "Can we talk now?"

"What flavor?" His voice suddenly turned empty, completely devoid of emotion.

I frowned, as he was still staring emptily through the street. But I knew that he had heard me.

Espeon jumped in front of him, trying to get his attention. He didn't look up, not even when she swiped at his leg.

"Hey, Seth," I tugged at his arm, but when I caught sight of his face I instantly became disconcerted. His eyes were hollow, fear illuminated in their shifting hues of green. He held his jaw tightly, like he was in pain, his muscles contorting in unease.

"What's the matter? Are you okay?" I was expecting him to suddenly smile, as if this was all just a little joke, but it never came.

He coughed, closing his eyes briefly before turning to me.

"What? Oh, sorry. Yeah…I'm okay."

"Oh, good. I was afraid your reign of silence was going to last _forever_," I slurred dramatically, and this time, he did smile.

"But we're still getting ice-cream." He ambled through the gates without me, relishing in the knowledge that he was indeed ticking me off.

"No." I crossed my arms, though he couldn't see them.

"And you're paying," he added over his shoulder.

"I hate you!" I shouted at empty air, and he waved me on. Espeon and I trailed behind him in disappointment, striding stiffly through the city's stone arch that ornamented the entrance.

In appearance, the city held a slight resemblance to Cherryvine: the streets were bustling with people, vendors sold delicacies at colorful stands, and children ran carelessly through the streets, as if none of them knew what it was like to see someone get shot right in front of you—Oh, wait, they probably didn't. Lucky _them_.

Grassy areas lined both sides of the street, where kids were tumbling in the grass and playing on swing-sets. Further ahead of us, was a neat row of shops lined up delicately.

I saw Seth run up to the ice-cream seller, bouncing impatiently for me to catch up with him, just like a little kid would.

I hadn't felt myself smiling until I caught Espeon's glare centralized on me. I stuck my tongue out at her and went to stand alongside Seth.

"Took you long enough, Eevee Girl." He gave me a side-long glance, grinning through the sparkles in his eyes.

"Hey," the man behind the counter interjected. He was young, probably in his early twenties. He leaned forward against the counter, staring at me intently.

"And what would you like, Sweetie?" As he spoke, my breath caught in my throat, and I clutched Seth's arm instinctively.

Sweetie. There was that word again. That disyllable metallic sound that held too many negative connotations.

A knife. Bullets. Guns. Fear. _Sweetie._

The man looked confused, probably dazed by the sudden onslaught of fright that clung to my face.

"Kira.." Seth gave me a gentle nudge, his hand resting reassuringly on my back.

"Oh! Sorry…" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Seth looking at me curiously, grazed with concern.

I murmured something to him and shifted in my stance anxiously, having the sudden urge to get away from here. I kept my gaze glued to a clock rooted upon a building, counting impatiently as the seconds waned. Silence as heavy as molasses lingered in the air, though people's lips continued to move, their sounds being compressed into invisible pockets.

Somehow I managed to tune out everything for several minutes, until Seth began looking at me expectantly, as did Mr. Ice-cream dude.

I slipped my hand into a pocket of my bag, leaving it hanging there for a few seconds.

Suddenly, I had an idea.

"Actually, I…don't have any money." The lie flowed out smoothly, accentuated by my apologetic half-smile. Seth raised his eyebrows suspiciously but didn't say anything.

"Oh, that's okay…" The guy—whose name-tag read "Jason"— leaned forward again, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "Maybe you can pay me with something else."

He winked, and I resisted the urge to slap him. It's a good thing Espeon wasn't able to see what was going on from the ground.

But I continued my game, innocently asking,

"Oh, yeah?"

"So…don't you think you're a little too cute to be hanging around _him_?" Jason jammed a thumb at Seth, who started choking on the spoon in his mouth.

"And don't you think ice-cream trucks are a little pedophilic? What do you do all day, lure naïve girls like her to your truck?" Seth countered angrily, jabbing his dessert with his spoon.

Jason narrowed his eyes, turning back to me.

"Ya know, to pay for _both_ of those, you might have to…come back here with me—"

"Okay, that's enough!" Seth slammed a few coins on the counter, tugging me harshly away. He nearly shoved me onto a picnic bench, anger seeping through his skin.

He looked so mad just then that I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Espeon jumped onto the bench beside me, her whiskers twitching in amusement. Seth darted from me to her, before realization finally crossed over his troubled face.

"You…" he stuttered. "You did that intentionally? You had money the whole time, didn't you?"

I grinned angelically, while crossing my ankles.

"Now we're _even_." I finalized, licking the chocolate swirl that was slowly melting in its waffle cone.

He wrinkled his face.

"But he could have…That guy was a creep!" he protested, his eyebrows furrowing. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Yes, and you were _jealous_."

"No, I wasn't," he sharply refuted the possibility, while throwing his half-empty cup in a trashcan. "That's ridiculous."

"You were _so_ mad. Admit it."

"I didn't want you to get hurt. That's all." He turned away, and I hugged my knees to my chest, eyeing three little girls that were skipping towards us like a gang of Spoink, with the same shade of pink coloring their cheeks.

The smallest one stepped right in front of me. She had chocolate pigtails that blew in the breeze, and light green eyes full of awe. The other two were twins, maybe a few years older, with short, blonde curls.

"Hey, lookie! It's a real-life espeon!" My lips curved upwards into a smile, and Espeon jumped down to greet them.

"You can pet her if you want," I offered, and they just stared at me incredulously, immobile as statues.

"Don't listen to her. You know what espeon eat?" A mischievous smile crept up on Seth's face, and the kids shook their heads fearfully. He lowered his voice and motioned for them to come closer, like this was all a secret that they shouldn't repeat. Cupping the side of his mouth with one hand, he whispered,

"…Little girls."

They emitted terrified shrieks, shrinking back in fear, and I hit him. Seth fell off of the bench, and the girls just stood there mesmerized.

"He's just a bully. She's gentle, honest," I promised, and retracted another pokeball from my bag.

"She's gentle, honest," Seth mocked softly. "Yeah, _right..."_

Flareon shook out her pale fur, and they gasped in delight.

"Flare flare!" The Fire Pokemon bounded up to the pig-tailed girl, and licked her face. The child giggled, wrapping her in a tight hug. The other two followed her lead and knelt down timidly to pet Espeon.

Seth groaned, stumbling to his feet while glaring at me.

"Do any of you have pokemon of your own?" I questioned curiously, and they shook their heads.

"My mommy said pokemon were dangerous. I don't understand why." That was a valid reason. A valid reason for a common misconception. Pokemon weren't dangerous; that was what adults told kids to keep them in fear, so that battling with them wouldn't even cross their minds. As long as they thought that, they wouldn't break the law or be tempted to.

But I knew better, because I had seen personally that humans, not pokemon, were the dangerous ones. Humans were the ones that strived for power and control, bringing violence as a tool. Humans were the ones who used to battle with pokemon not for violence's sake, but for sport. It was all a game; a game outlawed because the government feared what would happen if pokemon became stronger than the men that held the authority. Banning the training or battling of pokemon was a method of control. If humans stopped training their pokemon, they would become weak, and the trainers themselves would have no power left.

For what power do men have if they don't have anything to fight with? Nothing. Unsurprisingly, carrying any weapon of some kind was also illegal. Punishable by death.

"Lena! Ally and Jen! What do you think you three are doing?!" Their mother, I assumed, marched up to us. Her face held a mixture of bewilderment and anger, a jumbled storm of emotions roaring through her veins.

Lena, who I guessed was the smallest one, jerked away from Flareon, shrinking back from her mother's stern mien.

"Oh, Mommy! Look at this girl's pokés! Aren't they cute?" Lena's voice wavered uncertainly, fear shading her eyes. Her mother's gaze flickered wildly at me with so much contempt concentrated there that I sucked in a startled breath.

"What have I told you?! Pokemon are dangerous; they're not toys! Do you hear understand?!" The women grabbed the little girl's wrist, pulling her away with no tenderness.

"But Mommy—"

And just like that, a crimson imprint was shed upon the child's face, and just as abruptly, that angel lost her innocence. Tears exploded from her eyes, like a raging river that caused even the strongest of dams to crumble and wither away.

My hand embraced my mouth in distress, the shock of a mother hitting her daughter raining down on me in an acidic torrent. Espeon's snout curled into a snarl, and she pushed Flareon behind her, her tail wavering as it always did when she was being defensive.

Without even thinking, I quickly threw away my ice-cream cone, called back Flareon, and intercepted them, knocking the woman's hand away from Lena's wrist.

"What kind of mother are you? Beating your child for your own _cowardice_?" That last word was compressed through clenched teeth, the menace wrapped in it startling her.

I felt Seth's hands restrain my shoulders, trying to pull me away.

"Kira…This isn't your fight. Knock it off and let's go."

I shrugged him away.

"Excuse _me? _Did your father teach you how to speak to adults this way?!" She placed her hands on her hips.

Something inside of me cracked, shattering into millions of tiny shards that stabbed at my chest. Pain as sharp as needles plunged into my heart, tearing at the tender flesh. Deep within me, an animal was snarling, snapping away at the chains that restrained it. It struggled to break the bonds that locked it in a tight state of incarceration, fighting with fierce determination to break away from the unbearable weight crashing down upon it.

Only a certain few were allowed to mention my father without there being severe reprecussions . And she would be no exception.

Before I could even start shouting profanities at her, I was dragged away, watching helplessly as the distance between the family and I increased. Seth's hand was clutching my wrist tightly, as he led me down foreign streets with nameless faces.

"Where..." A sob sprouted from my chest, obstructing my speech. "...we going?"

He turned abruptly into a narrow ally-way lined with a foul dumpster and even more repulsive-looking brick walls that were sprayed with vulgar graffiti. The air was thick and unpleasantly damp, sending cool air prickling down my spine.

"Seth...I don't...like this." I planted myself firmly on the ground, pulling in the opposite direction that he was walking, to stop him from advancing.

"Don't worry. We're almost there. It's just a short cut," he offered a gentle reassurance. But didn't people in stories always die taking 'short cuts'?

"But where are we going?"

"Just trust me."

"Can you just—"

"Please don't ask questions." His tone was sharp, and I visibly recoiled.

I wanted to say, "I'm scared", but decided against it, forcing myself to trust him. I wasn't one to be overly trustworthy with new people, but I wanted to believe that he was actually a good person, instead of a potential criminal.

But something in the back of my mind was whispering that this was wrong, that it was really _him_ who was scaring me.

But that was ridiculous...he had saved my life, after all...so he _had_ to be a nice person, right?

* * *

My vision was still blurry, so I didn't notice when we arrived at a small house on the corner of a street. It was farther apart than the rest, and from the long, overgrown grass in the front yard, it was apparent that nobody had been there in quite some time.

He nonchalantly walked up to the white front door, not even bothering to knock as he pushed it open.

"Seth!" I scolded, instinctively looking around to see if anyone had caught him breaking in. "What are you doing?!"

"Don't worry. It's been vacant for a while." He beckoned me inside, and I tentatively took a step through the door, with Espeon at my heel.

The inside was not what I expected. There was broken glass everywhere, with shattered picture frames littering the floorboards. There were no pictures in them though, just destroyed remnants of forgotten memories.

As I stepped around the glass shards, I noticed that most of the house was empty of furniture. There was a lone couch in the middle of what I assumed used to be a living room, but was now a mass of broken chairs and torn pillows.

"Uh...so this place is unoccupied, right?" I couldn't help but crinkle my face in disgust. Whoever lived here had obviously never bothered to clean up or hire a maid.

"Yeah..."

"Did the owners move or something?" I asked in a careful tone, turning my face towards him ever-so-slightly.

"You could say that..." He shuffled his feet, kicking at the remains of a torn-up box.

"Did you...know them?"

A flash of pain twisted beneath his eyes, leaving his face struggling to fight back the anguish that was tormenting him. But in another instant, it vanished altogether, and he put his mask back on, continuing to conceal any despondency that might have lingered.

"Why were you so upset earlier?" He questioned me this time. He was talking about after my fight with that girl's mom.

"Why were _you_?" I countered. "When we first arrived at this city, you started acting weird."

"I asked you first," he pressed, and a string snapped inside me.

I couldn't contain my emotions this time, as I screamed,

"My father was shot...right in front of me! For _battling_! For something _I _do _every_ day! And I'm scared I'll end up like him..."

His face became hazy, but I could tell he was surprised. But I'm sure he could understand me too. I've never seen him battle, but I know he's done so before. Surely he must be able to understand the nerve it took to willingly break the one law that was considered so crucial to uphold?

And he could probably also understand that by this point, I wouldn't be able to stop. Pokemon were a part of life. Not getting the chance to make them stronger and see them grow, was like ordering a baby not to cry. Or asking someone not to breathe. It wasn't possible to convert to a lifestyle without that like most of society had acquiesced to. Some weren't even reluctant about it.

"Kira...I'm so sorry." There was grief in his voice, sympathy even. He took a few steps closer to me, so that we were almost touching.

"I..." _  
_

A thought struck me, one that I kept shoving away, but it came managed to crawl back anyway.

_I don't know you._

Why was I even here, following a boy around who I barely even knew? Why had I gone all this way for someone who could be lying to me-or might very well be lying to me right now? What if all this was fake? What if he led me here alone to...

_"_Kira."

_You're a stranger..._

I felt his arms gently fold around me, as he pressed my head lightly against his chest in an attempt to comfort me.

And I didn't protest.

"Ya know, I used to think about you every day...when we first met," he whispered. I wiped my nose with the back of my hand.

"Should I be worried, considering I was only eleven at that time?" That earned a laugh from him. I cracked a smile to break the tension.

I decided to believe him. Because I didn't want to think of the other possibility.

"No, no! It wasn't like that. I was just curious. I thought about going back, to meet you again...I don't know why."

"Probably because of my irresistible charm." I smiled, while sniffling. To be honest, the possibility of seeing him again had never crossed my mind. I didn't even give him much thought.

"Yeah..._that _was it."

I looked around the broken mess around me and actually felt whole. Which was weird, because I hadn't felt this way since my dad was around.

"Kira, you wanted to know where we were? Well, this house...used to be mine."

"What?! Are you serious?" I broke apart from him and took a glance at the dust that coated every surface of the room. "What..._happened_?"

"Long story. I'll tell you some other time." He yawned, releasing me from his grip, and ran a hand lazily through his light hair.

"But there is something I _will_ tell you, since you've been awfully persistent," he added.

Espeon and I exchanged glances, both of us withholding nervous excitement mixed with fear. Seth looked down at me, and in all seriousness, whispered,

"I love you."

My patience shattered, and I emitted an enraged cry of exasperation. Espeon's fur bristled, and she crouched down in attack mode.

"OH, COME _ON_! Asshole..." I crossed my arms to keep from hitting him. If this were a cartoon, I would have a forked tongue and would be breathing fire. I suddenly wished cartoons were real.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Forget I said that!" He grinned evilly, resting his hand on the back of his neck. "Uh...okay, so, there are these people...and they, uh...kind of want to use pokemon to start a revolution to overthrow the government, and um...yeah."

"That's _it_? What the hell does that have to do with _me_?"

"Oh, right, right. Funny story, actually...So, they're trying to recruit members for this organization, and...they want you to join."

"They want me to join them? What is this, a zombie apocalypse?" I sneered. I thought this would be a bit more...grave. By the way he was so solemn before, I thought he would tell me something on the same level of terrifying as death or imprisonment.

"Well...it's not that simple. To them, it's either you join, or...they'll turn you over to the police...as a criminal."

I sucked in as much air as I could to keep from hyperventilating. Basically, what he was saying, was that I either join them, or die. And I didn't really like the idea of dying.

"Damn...Where do I sign up?" My words were dripping with sarcasm, but they weren't totally false. Anything was better than death, wasn't it?

"Kira, trust me, you don't...you don't want to. They'll enslave you. You'll be subject to them for eternity, treated as a dog. Disobey them, and they'll kick you from behind. Obey them and you'll be forced to do terrible things." He shuddered, though the room was very hot.

"Like...Like what?" I knelt down and gripped Espeon tightly. She licked my cheek, her ears pricked for what Seth would say next.

"Like...hurt people, sometimes pokemon. These people...they want the world as it used to be, where battling was allowed. But there's a catch. To them, battling is a sign of power, and if you lose...Well, let's just say that they want to create a new society in which only the toughest trainers and pokemon exist. A world where power is everything, and if you don't have any, they'll make sure you're not part of it."

"How..." My mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls. There was a whole different kind of fear that was frozen in me now, and it wasn't just for myself.

"How do you know this?" Espeon leaped out of my arms, baring her teeth towards the door.

"Because he's _one_ of us." A voice echoed throughout the empty room. Seth's eyes darted towards the door, and he immediately pushed me behind him.

"And soon, you will be too."

* * *

**Ohohoho, this is why you should never take a girl home on the first date. Ha~just kidding. **

**I didn't realize how predictable this story was until just now, so I'm sorry about that.**

**I'd like to know if anyone liked this (or didn't) or what I can improve on. Reviews would be greatly appreciated!**


	5. Homecoming

**I literally worked on this for two days straight...while procrastinating my homework. Was it worth it? Of course!**

**It has been brought to my attention by a few people that this story was kind of confusing, and I'm really sorry about that! I really toned this chapter down, so it'll be much easier to read than the first four.**

**And I re-edited chapter 4 and changed some things, nothing major though.**

**Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to its rightful owner. Obviously, I don't own it. Only the characters, cities, and plot are mine.**

* * *

Two figures stepped into the doorway, side-by-side, blocking our only exit. The one on the left had dirty-blonde hair and light-stubble on his face, like he'd forgotten to shave for a few days. The other was tan, with short, dark hair.

"Did I mention this town was kind of…sketchy?" Seth whispered, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

I turned to him cautiously. There was nothing weird or different about him that I could tell. Those guys must have been lying before. Seth would never be a part of some gang set on world domination or anything crazy like that! That was ridiculous...

"Considering the creepy ice-cream salesman, the psychotic mother, and now _this_, you think I haven't realized that?!"

"Well, now you know." He took a step back and pulled out a pokeball from his pocket. Espeon positioned herself in between us.

"Hey, Seth, it's been a while, huh? I can honestly say, I _almost_ missed you. Seriously man, where've you been all this time?" The blonde caught Seth's eye and smiled, his hands buried deep within his pockets. What did he have inside?

"Places. Nowhere in particular." Seth's finger was resting on the middle button of the pokeball, just in case.

"What have you been doing? Or maybe the real question is," The blonde glanced at me for the first time. "_Who_ have you been doing?"

I crinkled my face in disgust.

"Okay, just shut up already, Wayne! What do you two want anyway?"

"I thought it would be obvious. _You_, of course! And her."

"Sorry to ruin your fun, but we'll be leaving soon." In a blinding light, a tall, lizard-like green pokemon with spikes on its back and tail appeared. It looked powerful—powerful and scary.

"Kira," Seth turned to me. "When I tell you to, I want you to get out of here. I need to stay behind—to distract them." He added the last part hastily. Was he lying?

"No way! I'm not a helpless _little girl._ Besides, we can take them," I stated evenly, looking him straight in the eyes. He sighed, shaking his head.

"It's not that simple—"

"Yes, it is," I insisted. Did he not get it? We had _p__okemon. _We could battle our way out of this, and there were no weapons on them, or that I could see, anyway.

"Their clothing is resistant to elemental attacks. Do you see the headgear Wayne is wearing?"

"I'm getting bored, Seth. Quit chatting with your girl, will you?" The 'Wayne' guy crossed his arms impatiently.

"Shut it, Blondie! No one gives a crap!" I snapped, my composure breaking, but I examined him more closely. His clothes didn't seem like anything special; he was wearing a crimson shirt, blue jeans, and a black vest. There was a black bracelet-looking thing on his wrist that flashed a silver symbol I couldn't make out clearly. He also had what looked like headphones on his head, but what was special about that?

"Your Espeon won't work against him. The gear on his head makes him impervious to Psychic attacks. Or anything mental, really."

I looked to the other guy, the quiet one. He had similar gear on, though is clothes were different.

"What about fire? Or water and electricity?"

"Their clothes are flame retardant, waterproof, and they have rubber linings in them."

"That sucks," I drew in a breath. Escaping might be more difficult than I thought. "Can't we just knock them out and run?" It seemed like a good enough strategy.

Blondie's friend reached for something I couldn't see, and I cringed when he finally revealed it.

It was a gun. Because it just _had _to be a gun. Why can't we be bulletproof?!

"Damn…Tyranitar! Use Brick Break!" Seth ordered anxiously.

"Seth, what are you—"

His tyranitar lunged towards the nearest wall with its arm extended, sending chunks of the wall flying. Small shards of rock grazed my bare skin, and I bit back a cry for the stinging pain that followed.

"Kira! Go now! And don't come ba—" A bullet split the air and I felt a surge of relief that it missed me. I quickly retracted a pokeball and released Pidgeot.

The feeling shattered when Seth released a loud groan of pain, and he sank to his knees.

"Seth—"

Espeon hissed in frustration and leapt onto Pidgeot, who was hovering in place.

"Go! Ty…ranitar…Earth…quake!"

Tyranitar howled and stomped on the ground. Fissures sliced through the earth, and the whole house shook from the impact. I jumped onto Pidgeot, as bricks rained down from above. A piece of rubble slammed into my shoulder and I screamed. Pidgeot dashed through the gap in the wall, spiraling out of the way of falling debris.

I swung my head around, straining to find Seth. The house was crumbling fast. Soon, it would cave in altogether.

"Seth!" I screamed his name in desperation. He could still make it out…He _had_ to.

"Espe!" Espeon howled as it gave a final lurch before collapsing completely. A cloud of dust drifted from the demolished house, obscuring our view further.

"It's gone…everything just…crumbled. Espeon! It's _gone…_shit… shit shit shit…"

Tears splashed onto my now dirtied skin, seeping into the fresh cuts, and it burned.

"Ow…Espeon, what do we do now?"

This couldn't be real. It wasn't happening. He was right _there _a few seconds ago, he was standing _next to me._

She shook her head, her ears drooping.

"No! He's okay…He has to be okay! Damn it! Don't think like…that!"

Pidgeot soared upwards, surging in the opposite direction.

"No! Go back! We have to go back!"

My shirt and face were soaked with water, but I didn't care enough to brush it away.

_ Please please please_…._be alive._

I wrapped Espeon tightly in my arms, holding her against my chest. She whimpered, giving my cheek a brisk lick as we made our way back home.

* * *

I gracelessly jumped to the ground from Pidgeot's back, stumbling as I did so. He flew up to my bedroom window, resting on the balcony rail.

"Kira!" Someone called my name. My mother. She was standing on the steps in front of our house. I staggered towards her, hastily wiping my face with my arm.

"Kira! Where have you been? It's already five-thirty! Mr. Near and his son are—Oh, my god! What happened to you? You look awful! Are you hurt?"

"Unghh…" I groaned, trembling. "N-No…"

"Why is your shirt red?! Oh, my god, you're bleeding!"

I gripped my shoulder through the now crimson fabric, wincing. It felt like hell. Even the slight pressure I was putting on it made me want to cry. My mother hurried me through the door, slamming it shut behind her.

"Ah, Kira, there you a— " Mr. Near stood in the entryway to the living room, with his mouth hung wide open. Did I look that terrible?

"Oh, my! What…_happened_?" Wrinkles creased his forehead as his eyes narrowed in concern. A shadow materialized from behind him, and a blue-haired boy appeared. _Ethan._

"Nothing." I removed my hand from my shoulder. It was tinged with blood. I glanced around the room, locking eyes with Ethan. There was no emotion present on his face, like he wasn't surprised at all to see me like this.

"Nothing? How did you get like this?" My mother brushed my forehead with careful fingers, tracing the trail of a laceration.

"I…fell." At this, Ethan smirked. I narrowed my eyes. "What's so funny? I didn't realize you were _always_ an asshole."

My mother gaped. "Kira! Don't be rude! That's no way to talk to someone! Have you even introduced yourself ye—"

"Unfortunately, I've already had the _pleasure_ of meeting him. Now, I'm going to go take a shower before you skewer me with questions." I darted past them towards the opposite side of the house and scurried up the stairs. I could hear my mom shouting at me from downstairs, but I ignored her.

I threw open my bedroom door and opened up the door to the balcony.

"Pidgeot!" I called. He shook out his feathers, and I scratched his head, before placing a fresh bowl of water and food out for him. My mom didn't like him in the house.

"Are you okay out here?" He gave a content chirp. "Good…and thank you…for earlier…" His black eyes flashed in understanding, and he nodded solemnly.

I went back into my room, closing the door behind me. Reaching into my bag, I pulled out two pokeballs and pressed them, causing two forms to emerge.

"Flare!" Flareon shook out her fur and jumped onto my bed. Espeon joined her, having just padded into my room.

The other one was an ampharos, a yellow Pokémon that stood on two legs, with a white stomach and three black stripes on its tail and neck. The red orb on her forehead and tail glinted in the light, and she wiggled her ears happily.

"'Kay guys, I'm gonna be right—ow—back…" I stripped myself of my clothes so I could take a shower and clean off all the dirt that had accumulated on me. The water was cold and it stung, but it beat being covered in a layer of sheetrock.

After I was finished, I wrapped myself in a white towel—not caring about the possible bloodstains I'd be leaving behind—and lied down on my bed.

"Flare?" Flareon whimpered, nudging me with her nose. A series of knocks clattered on the door.

"Don't come in, you pervert!" If he even dared to _turn_ the doorknob, I'd murder him.

"Kira, it's me." Mom. "Can I come in?"

"No, I'm naked."

"I gave birth to you, why does it matter?"

"I had a little less dignity back then."

The door creaked open and I groaned. The corners of Espeon's mouth twitched at my reaction. I made a face at her.

"Kira," She knelt down on the end of my bed. Flareon rubbed her head against my mother's leg as she stroked her fur.

"Flareon, what have I told you about fraternizing with the enemy?" I reprimanded. She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

My mother sighed and removed her hand from Flareon, combing her fingers through her own long, wispy hair instead. It was a lighter shade of brown than my dark chocolate hair color, similar to Seth's.

_Seth_.

I sucked in a breath, closing my eyes.

"Kira, what happened today? Don't try to lie to me. I need to know."

"No. You really don't."

She studied me carefully with inquisitive blue eyes.

"Did someone hurt you? You're covered in cuts and bruises. That gash on your shoulder doesn't look good. Maybe we should take you to a—"

"I'm, _fine_, Mom. Nothing a Band-Aid won't fix."

"Oh, for god's sake, Kira, stop acting like a child!" She rummaged through my dresser drawers, pulling out a wad of gauze.

"Hey, how'd you know that was in there?"

"I'm your mother, I know everything. Now, sit up." I rolled my eyes as she played 'nurse', rubbing antiseptic cream into my shoulder before bandaging it.

"If you know _everything_ as you claim you do, then there's no point in you being here any longer." I crossed my arms, glaring at her obstinately.

She shook her head dismissively. "Ethan and Mr. Near are still downstairs, you know. They're waiting for you."

"Why? He already knows I hate him—"

"Don't say that! You don't even know him!"

"Sure I do! I was just with him yesterday in the—"

That was a mistake. She didn't know I trained my pokemon everyday. She had never been one of those really nosy parents who wanted to know where their kids were every second of the day, so she didn't ask why I was gone all of the time.

But I think what she really was fearing was the answer I'd give her.

"What were you doing with him yesterday?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing!"

"Just like you were doing 'nothing', today?"

"Exactly." I wrapped the towel around me more tightly, going to stand in front of the sliding glass door. Pidgeot was sleeping in a cushioned chair.

I gasped. _Pidgeot_. He could find Seth!

"What is it, Kira?"

"Noth—" I had said that too many times tonight, but she would lock me up forever if I told her the truth.

Her head shook in exasperation.

"Be down in five minutes. And try to look _nice_."

I wanted to scream. This was the worse day ever. Or at least, it was the _second _worst day ever.

I was about to open the door when Espeon hissed in warning.

Stupid me, I almost walked outside with only a towel on. Ha ha. I must be delirious.

I rummaged through my dresser, pulling out a pair of gray sweatpants.

"Espe!" She flung the pants across the room using Psychic, and instead yanked a blue dress from my drawers.

"Hey! Stop acting like my _mom_! I thought you were cooler than that!" I huffed, slipping the casual sapphire dress over my head, before buckling its red belt around my waist.

Ew. Wearing it felt way too girly. To tone it down a little, I added long, black leggings and russet boots.

Espeon gave a semi-approving nod. Without any more hesitation, I slid the balcony door open and whistled. Pidgeot shook his tawny feathers out drowsily, casting me a confused stare.

"Sorry for waking you, but can you do me a favor? I promise I'll make it up to you later!"

The red and yellow plume on his head whipped around, as he stood up straighter.

"Can you go back to Solrim to find Seth? Just to see if he's still there?"

_Or if he's still alive._

Pidgeot chirped in reply, extending his wings fully, before pushing off of the chair. He stalled in the air, catching my eye for confirmation. I nodded, and he darted away.

Espeon and I then trailed downstairs, heading for the kitchen, where my mother was stirring something in a bowl. Our punctual little guests were standing around the counter casually. Ethan smiled when he saw me, though it seemed more spiteful than kind.

"You look…_better_."

"Really?" I gave a whimsical twirl. "Cause you still look like a—"

"_Kira_!" My mother pressed her hand against her forehead in frustration. Or maybe the proper term was, "face-palmed".

"What? You didn't let me finish. I could have said something wonderful and nice_._"

"You _could_ have, but that's not you at all."

I scrunched up my face in defeat, before plucking a grape from a bowl and stuffing it in my mouth.

Something furry brushed against my leg. Two purple eyes stared intently at me. Espeon was trying to tell me something, but I think my brain was too scattered from being hit by falling debris so many times to figure it out.

"Not now," I whispered sharply. She hissed; it was a warning. But what was it about?

"Hey, Kira. Can I talk to you for a minute?" Ethan stepped closer to me, his sapphire eyes shining.

"I suppose, if you _must_."

I heard my mother scowl and mutter something to Ethan's father, who laughed. I waited for Ethan to say something, but he continued standing there awkwardly, unmoving.

"Well?" I prodded.

"I meant _alone_."

I was about to protest, when my mother interjected,

"Kira, why don't you try to get to know each other? You're about the same age, and it might be nice for you to interact with something _human _for a change."

"Yeah, well…Espeon's a better mother than you are!" It was a pitiful attempt at a comeback, but I at least had to try.

My mom sighed again, smiling slightly.

"And she can probably _cook_ better too—"

"Get out!"

Laughing, I led Ethan upstairs, hesitantly pausing when I got to my bedroom door. Would it be better to talk in the hall? I didn't really trust him, but…

I pushed it open anyway, allowing him inside.

"So this is the Great Kira's room." He smirked. His gaze skimmed the turquoise walls to the shelves filled with books on pokemon.

Ampharos was sound asleep on an olive green beanbag chair. Flareon was curled up on my bed, waiting for me expectantly. Espeon sat down next to her.

"You have a night-light? Aren't you a little old for that?" Ethan pointed to the red orb-shaped device that was plugged into the wall in the corner of the room, which was supposed to resemble the tip of an ampharos's tail.

My face flushed and I turned away from him abruptly.

"…Keeps away the nightmares…" I mumbled, whether it was audible or not. He shuffled his feet in discomfort. I didn't expect him to understand.

"Uh…okay. Hey, listen…I'm sorry about yesterday. I acted like a jerk."

"Not 'like'... But I guess I was worse," I admitted.

"Yeah, you're pretty mean," He agreed with a sly grin. I laughed, my eyes roaming over his face. Maybe he wasn't so bad. His smile slowly faded, his eyes turning dark.

"Kira…did they...hurt you today?" I grimaced. Why did that question come up so many times already?

"I already said I was fi—"

They. How did he know it was a 'they'?

Espeon rose to her feet, keeping her eyes locked on him.

"Ethan…how…" I took a step backwards, fear jolting my sense, but he did the opposite.

"It doesn't matter. What does, is that I can take you to him—if you want."

"_Him?_ What?" I was trapped. He had me cornered, pressed against the wall, with his hand resting on a spot next to my head.

"You want to see him, don't you?"

Seth? He was alive? Ethan knew where he was?

At that moment, his jacket sleeve rolled down below his wrist, revealing a black band secured around it.

It had a silver insignia.

* * *

**I didn't intend to make Ethan a recurring character at first, but I decided to, so that his appearance in chapter one wouldn't be so random. **

**So...What did you think? ****If anyone could spare the time to leave a review, I would greatly appreciate it. Advice is always needed. :) Thanks for reading!**


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